Constrained Consumption Shifting Management in the Distributed Energy Resources Scheduling Considering Demand Response

Demand response concept has been gaining increasing importance while the success of several recent implementations makes this resource benefits unquestionable. This happens in a power systems operation environment that also considers an intensive use of distributed generation. However, more adequate approaches and models are needed in order to address the small size consumers and producers aggregation, while taking into account these resources goals. The present paper focuses on the demand response programs and distributed generation resources management by a Virtual Power Player that optimally aims to minimize its operation costs taking the consumption shifting constraints into account. The impact of the consumption shifting in the distributed generation resources schedule is also considered. The methodology is applied to three scenarios based on 218 consumers and 4 types of distributed generation, in a time frame of 96 periods.

Real-Time Simulation of energy Management in a Domestic Consumer

Recent and future changes in power systems, mainly in the smart grid operation context, are related to a high complexity of power networks operation. This leads to more complex communications and to higher network elements monitoring and control levels, both from network’s and consumers’ standpoint. The present work focuses on a real scenario of the LASIE laboratory, located at the Polytechnic of Porto. Laboratory systems are managed by the SCADA House Intelligent Management (SHIM), already developed by the authors based on a SCADA system. The SHIM capacities have been recently improved by including real-time simulation from Opal RT. This makes possible the integration of Matlab®/Simulink® real-time simulation models. The main goal of the present paper is to compare the advantages of the resulting improved system, while managing the energy consumption of a domestic consumer.

A calculus for modeling and analyzing conversations in service-oriented computing

Dissertação apresentada para a obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Informática pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Business planning in nonprofit: Laying the ground for customer relationship management in Instituto de Empreendedorismo Social

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Business planning in nonprofit: laying the ground for customer relationship management in Instituto de Empreendedorismo Social

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

People management in the Portuguese nonprofits

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Forest management in an urbanizing landscape

This paper aims at building a theoretical framework to examine the impact of development pressure on private owner’s forest management practices, namely, on regeneration and conversion cut dates. As the rent for developed land is rising over time, our model creates the possibility of switching from forestry to residential use at some point in the future, thus departing from the Faustmann’s traditional setup. Comparative statics results with respect to stumpage prices, regeneration costs and urban growth parameters are provided. The results obtained depend on the impact on the opportunity cost of holding the stand and the impact on the opportunity cost of holding the land, generalizing Faustmann’s unambiguous results.

Case histories of infectious disease management in developing countries: Phnom Penh and Kabul

Healthcare in developing countries is affected by severe poverty, political instability and diseases that may be of lesser importance in industrialized countries. The aim of this paper was to present two cases and histories of physicians working in hospitals in developing countries and to discuss the opportunities for clinical investigation and collaboration. Cases of patients in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with histoplasmosis, cryptococcal meningitis, crusted scabies, cerebral lesions and human immunodeficiency virus and of patients in Kabul, Afghanistan, with liver cirrhosis, nephrotic syndrome and facial ulcer are discussed. Greater developmental support is required from industrialized nations, and mutually beneficial cooperation is possible since similar clinical problems exist on both sides (e.g. opportunistic cardiovascular infections). Examples for possible support of hospital medicine include physician interchange visits with defined objectives (e.g. infection control or echocardiography training) and collaboration with clinical investigations and projects developed locally (e.g. epidemiology of cardiovascular diseases or nosocomial bloodborne infections).

How to optimize Lipton’s business model in order to stimulate tea consumption in Portugal and increase Lipton Leaf tea market share?: The importance of distribution and sales channels management in a B2B2C market

Field Lab Entrepreneurial Innovative Ventures

Methodological framework for detection of harmonisation breaking in service environments

As the complexity of markets and the dynamicity of systems evolve, the need for interoperable systems capable of strengthening enterprise communication effectiveness increases. This is particularly significant when it comes to collaborative enterprise networks, like manufacturing supply chains, where several companies work, communicate, and depend on each other, in order to achieve a specific goal. Once interoperability is achieved, that is once all network parties are able to communicate with and understand each other, organisations are able to exchange information along a stable environment that follows agreed laws. However, as markets adapt to new requirements and demands, an evolutionary behaviour is triggered giving space to interoperability problems, thus disrupting the sustainability of interoperability and raising the need to develop monitoring activities capable of detecting and preventing unexpected behaviour. This work seeks to contribute to the development of monitoring techniques for interoperable SOA-based enterprise networks. It focuses on the automatic detection of harmonisation breaking events during real-time communications, and strives to develop and propose a methodological approach to handle these disruptions with minimal or no human intervention, hence providing existing service-based networks with the ability to detect and promptly react to interoperability issues.

Wealth Management in Africa: The Cape Verde Opportunity

This work project consists of a comprehensive study of the possibility of opening a Wealth Management (WM) firm located in Cape Verde (CV), and was made at the request of NovoBanco’s Research Sectorial team. WM is a growing industry that consists in the set of financial services provided to wealthy clients. After taking into account the expected industry growth of the Sub-Saharan region, the preferences of the African wealthy, the current industry structure, and the advantages and disadvantages of locating a WM business in CV, it is concluded that a business opportunity exists. The reasons for thus, along with relevant recommendations, including which services a new business should offer and whom to target specifically, are presented in the final section.

Students' choice of a master in management in Portugal: A means-end chain approach

In the increasingly competitive market of higher education introduced by the Bologna Declaration, understanding the decision-making of master in management students is at the center of institutional management and marketing efforts on its mission to attract prospective students in a less costly, more efficient manner. The means-end chain approach, applied to the choice of a Portuguese institution in which to pursue a master in management, points to the position in rankings and to the non-specificity of the program as the most important attributes. Additionally, results show that students with distinct demographic, household, or background characteristics choose in significantly different manners.

Analysis of energy management in GMIT

Energy management is the process of monitoring, controlling and conserving energy in a building or organisation. The main reasons for this are for cost purposes and benefit to the environment. Through various techniques and solutions for lighting, heating, office equipment, the building fabric etc along with a change in people’s attitudes there can be a substantial saving in the amount spent on energy. A good example o f energy waste in GMIT is the lighting situation in the library. All the lights are switched on all day on even in places where that is adequate daylighting, which is a big waste o f energy. Also the lights for book shelves are left on. Surely all these books won’t be searched for all at the one time. It would make much more sense to have local switches that the users can control when they are searching for a particular book. Heating controls for the older parts o f the college are badly needed. A room like 834 needs a TRV to prevent it from overheating as temperatures often reach the high twenties due to the heat from the radiators, computers, solar gains and heat from users o f the room. Also in the old part o f the college it is missing vital insulation, along with not being air tight due to the era when it was built. Pumped bonded bead insulation and sealant around services and gaps can greatly improve the thermal performance o f the building and help achieve a higher BER cert. GMIT should also look at the possibility o f installing a CHP plant to meet the base heating loads. It would meet the requirement o f running 4500 hours a year and would receive some financial support from the Accelerated Capital Allowance. I f people’s attitudes are changed through energy awareness campaigns and a few changes made for more energy efficient equipment, substantial savings can be made in the energy expenditure.